New old carboy

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danorocks17

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So I just got a 5 gal carboy from my grandma today. It use to be an old water dispenser jug that she had lying around. I was soaking it in some oxiclean in the tub, rised it out and noticed that it had a bunch of cracks or cuts in the bottom. Now I'm almost sure that they don't go all the way through because the thing didn't leak, but I'm wondering if there is something I can put on the cracks to keep them from getting worse? I was thinking about some liquid silicon or something.
 
Honestly, if it truly has cracks of any sort, I would toss it. It's just not worth the risk of spilling blood or even wort.

New carboys (or my favorite, Better Bottles!) are really pretty cheap, especially when you amortize them over the hundreds of batches you'll eventually make in them.
 
Even if the cracks don't go all the way through, they're places that bacteria will LOVE to grow, and are nearly impossible to sanitize. Even small scratches can ruin a batch. Nobody likes a downer though, so my suggestion is this: duct-tape or epoxy the outside of the carboy, so if there is a leak at least it won't get everywhere. Then put the whole thing inside a larger bucket so that if the leak gets through, it STILL won't get everywhere. Try a batch with the carboy as is, and if you're infection free, keep going until you're. . . well, no longer infection free.
 
Even if the cracks don't go all the way through, they're places that bacteria will LOVE to grow, and are nearly impossible to sanitize. Even small scratches can ruin a batch. Nobody likes a downer though, so my suggestion is this: duct-tape or epoxy the outside of the carboy, so if there is a leak at least it won't get everywhere. Then put the whole thing inside a larger bucket so that if the leak gets through, it STILL won't get everywhere. Try a batch with the carboy as is, and if you're infection free, keep going until you're. . . well, no longer infection free.

The cracks or scratches are actually on the outside on the bottom of the glass, I should have clarified which bottom haha. But I like the idea of ducttape. I think I"m going to use this soley for apfelwein, thanks for the suggestions!
 
If you're going to use that carboy, I strongly suggest having an ambulance standing by for the first time you try to move it.

Or, better yet, don't use it. Drop 10 bucks on an ale pail.
 
Or, better yet, don't use it. Drop 10 bucks on an ale pail.

AMEN! I mean come on, it's practically unbreakable, cheap, and has a friggin spigot on it for Pete's sake. I still have yet to buy an auto siphon :)
 
I have one that has a deep spiraling scratch from the center out I think it might have happened in the manufacturing process. I can't imagine any carboy surviving that after it had cooled. I'm using mine and I plan to continue to use it until I drop and break it.

John
 
I have one that has a deep spiraling scratch from the center out I think it might have happened in the manufacturing process. I can't imagine any carboy surviving that after it had cooled. I'm using mine and I plan to continue to use it until I drop and break it.

John

My scratches sound very similar to this. I can't imagine how it happened. I tested it and it seems to be holding water. i'm soaking it again full of water and oxiclean, so if I sever an artery I'll let you all know. :mug:
 
I have two old style water carboys just like that and the bottoms are well scratched up from years of water delivery i'm sure. I just keep them in milk crates to move them. They have each fermented many batches with no issues.

These old carboys are built like tanks, probably to stand up to being moved around for delivery.
 

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